Influence Of The Beauty Industry On Women

As women, we live in a society with a skewered perception of what represents beauty. Ladies and young women are persistently striving to attain the ideal vision of perfection and some could place the blame squarely on the beauty industry. Because the perception of beauty plays a big role in a female’s life, a woman’s self-esteem can take a beating and insecurities can result because she will probably never be a perfect size zero, have flawless skin, perfect breasts, a small nose or model-like looks.

What can unrealistic images in the media do to a woman’s self-esteem?

By creating advertisements that have unrealistic images of beauty, the media has driven women to have anxiety, low self-confidence and low self-esteem. Many of these images make women experience negative emotions which stem from being unhappy with their appearance and body. With the thousands of images women see on television, print advertisement and on the internet, the ideal image of beauty is everywhere and it is impossible to escape.

How much money is spent in the quest for perfect beauty?

In 2008, the Young Women’s Christian Association or YWCA USA developed a report entitled “Beauty at Any Cost”, which talked about the consequences of the obsession to be beautiful among young girls and women in America. The report showed that not only does the obsession with beauty cause anxiety and low self-esteem, but it has also put a dent in the pocketbook of many ladies.

The report from the YWCA highlighted that approximately $7 billion each year is spent on cosmetic products such as makeup, hair care, nails and tanning. Not only are billions of dollars spent on cosmetics, but each year countless numbers of women undergo cosmetic surgery in a bid to enhance their body or face in some way. The beauty industry and media have created a monstrous cycle between false images of beauty and the average women’s perception of what is considered beautiful.

How does wearing makeup make a woman feel more confident?

From a very young age, girls are taught to experiment with makeup to increase their attractiveness. There are many kinds of makeup that can be used to achieve a variety of looks and it can be an easy way for a person to hide flaws or scars. Makeup is a temporary way to solve beauty problems and it is not as expensive as cosmetic surgery.

Where could a woman’s anxiety about her appearance come from?

The anxiety a woman has about her appearance could stem from a plethora of sources. With the relentless beauty advertisements, peer pressure and underlying feelings of insecurity, it can be easy to see why the beauty industry might have a negative impact on a woman’s body image, self-esteem and perception of beauty. By using outward comparisons, a woman may constantly be comparing herself to various models or actresses and when she does not meet the perceived standard of societal beauty, it can be devastating to her psyche.

How can a woman get past society’s perception of beauty and feel better about herself?

Is beauty only skin deep? Evolutionary psychology reports the face is really a window into certain characteristics which indicate a person’s quality as a romantic partner and mate, it shows good health and genetics, and even character. Many facets play into whether someone is deemed attractive and these include the way a person dresses, acts and carry themselves and even things which are difficult to change such as size, race, shape and wealth.

In conclusion:

Today’s impossible standard of beauty is unfair, because not everyone is born with great genetics. If you want to look and feel your best, wear flattering makeup, get enough sleep, follow a healthy diet, regularly exercise and smile! Be the best version of you that you can be and do things to make yourself feel good, because when you have confidence your inner beauty will shine through!